1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer supplying structure for a developing device and, more specifically, it relates to a developer supplying structure for supplying developer from an opening of a cartridge through an opening formed in a body of a developing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a developer supplying structure of a developing device comprises a cartridge for supplying developer from its opening to an opening of a body of the developing device, and a seal member folded in two portions in which one portion is affixed to the opening of the cartridge and the other portion is left free as a flap.
In supplying the developer, after a lid of the body of the developing device is removed, the cartridge is attached and the affixed portion is torn off by pulling the flap of the seal member so as to dispense the developer (toner).
After the developer is dispensed, the cartridge is detached and the lid is returned to its place on the body of the developing device.
With the above-mentioned prior art, however, the developer may sometimes splash from the device body because the lid is removed from the device body before the cartridge is attached in supplying the developer and it is returned to its position after dispensing of the developer, and the inside of a copying machine and surroundings thereof may be stained.
Additionally, the developer remaining in the cartridge may be splashed, for example, when the cartridge is detached from the device body, because the seal is torn off from the cartridge after the completion of dispensing, and thus the inside of the copying machine and the surroundings thereof may be stained.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,161 discloses means for solving these problems. In a developer supplying structure of the developing device as disclosed in this patent, a sliding lid of a cartridge is moved to an opening position cooperative with opening a lid provided in an opening of a body of the developing device. A seal member held by the sliding lid is moved as the sliding lid is opened, to tear off one portion of the seal member affixed to the opening of the cartridge, and thus the opening of the cartridge is left opened. However, the seal member is torn off through opening the lid of the developing device and the sliding lid of the cartridge.
The cartridge is usually made of paper or plastic sheet, and the seal member is made of a plastic sheet material. The one portion of the seal member is affixed to the peripheral portion of the opening of the cartridge with an appropriate adhesive.
Thus, if the one portion of the seal member is torn off with a large force, the seal member of the cartridge may be broken, or cooperative relations among the cartridge, the seal member, the lid of the device body and the sliding lid of the cartridge may be broken. Thus, it is not easy to supply developer in the cartridge to the body of the developing device.